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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Tonight marked my 8th (!!!) Meet the Teacher night. I simply cannot believe I'm no longer the 'new kid on the block'... what a weird feeling.

Highlights include:

- I got a few of my "wish list" kids.
- Kids who wished to have me for their teacher got me.
- Some of my former darlings came back to see me. This is one of my FAVORITE things.

- I got a handmade bracelet from one of my sweeties.

- I saw some excellent Hello Kitty earrings.

- One friend taught me how to snap and point properly. Took me a few times, but I think I've got it. (To clarify, when I say friend or talk about accessories, these are obvi first grade sweeties.) Outfit
Pearls: Gifted from DaddyShirt: Thrifted Nine WestSkirt: ThriftedShoes: Crocs (Did you read about my new Crocs?)

Things I've learned:

- As much as I want to... I can't spend time with everyone like I'd like.

- Having kids and parents sort supplies is bombtastic. Do that every year.

- Directions on the SmartBoard- I'm a genius.

- Kids always get added at the last minute.

What I would have done differently:

- Helped the rookie down the hall a little more. I forget what it's like to be in her shoes.

Um.... teacher face???

Here's hoping to my best year in first grade, always remembering what it's like to be the newbie, and never letting go of First Grade Jitters. Pretty sure my nerves mean I care.

Monday, August 19, 2013

I know what you're thinking. I thought it too. Gone are the days that Crocs look like gnome shoes.

At my teacher-friend's request, I went with her to exchange a pair of Crocs. She said not to make fun of her shoes because they were Crocs. I truly had to bite my tongue. Once I saw the shoes I couldn't believe they weren't hideous. As a matter of fact, they were cute, kind of like jellies. And when I slipped them on... whoa momma. They were comfy! Perfect for teaching first graders. Within three days I had two pairs of my own: one black and one brown.

Please ignore price tags. The reason they're pictured is so you can get the information you want in case you decide to get your own. When I bought mine they were buy one get one half off so the price was fair, especially for a pair of comfortable shoes I'll wear often.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

As of today, school officially starts in seven sleeps. And without fail, my back-to-school jitters are kicking in. By nature I'm a bit of a worrier and this year is no exception. Each year I get jitters just like my first grade darlings and it's to be expected after a summer of carefree fun and fashion. The way I dress in summer and the way I dress during the school year... I feel like I'm not the same lady and the clothes come from a costume closet.

Here's an interesting tidbit about me...Some days I have to put on a teacher 'costume'. My college professors were worried I wouldn't speak loudly enough and I would struggle with management. But I found a trick... if I dress like a teacher, I act like a teacher.

My first year of teaching was less than ideal. In fact, I struggled with classroom management (aka student behavior). One little tweak in my wardrobe helped change my attitude. Instead of wearing whatever fun clothes I wanted, I began dressing professionally. I immediately noticed a positive change in my behavior and my students' behavior. Although many early childhood teachers advise against dressing up my philosophy is: clothes are washable. (Also, do not judge the clothes on the floor behind me. I like to keep it real, people)

I usually start the year off strong and always dress professionally for conferences, meet the teacher, and anything dealing with parents. Throughout the year, I integrate my fun clothes but much like Miss Nelson from Miss Nelson is Missing... I have my alter-ego for when my darlings get out of hand. Shhhhh.... help me keep it a secret. Otherwise this trick may lose its magic.

For now, my teacher clothes are still in the closet... So enjoy some summertime Jana. I like her wardrobe more than Mrs. C's.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

So... a fast talking salesman knocked on your door and you made the mistake of letting them inside your home. What they're saying sounds really good. In fact too good. I once had a wise man tell me, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." I REALLY should have listened to him, especially last Wednesday when I could hear his voice in my head as the salesman was reeling me in hook, line, and sinker.

Short version: a door-to-door salesman came to our house, told me about an amazing deal on an amazing product. We waited for my husband to get home and within a 3 hour period of him knocking on our door, we had this amazing product installed.

After the seller and installer left... my husband and I did a quick Google search of the company and found numerous horror stories on the company. The more I read, the more freaked out I became. I slept terribly. By 5 a.m. Thursday morning, less than twelve hours after installation, I was on the phone with my daddy and we got this situation under control.

Plan of Action

Act quicklyObviously, we immediately checked out the company online. We then read the contract to find we had three business days to write a handwritten letter of cancellation as stated. Any contract will have cancellation procedures.

Put a Stop Payment on the amount to be drafted at your bank.The following morning I was at our bank when it opened and we did something called a stop payment on the amount the company was supposed to draft. At my bank the stop payment cost $30. It may vary but in the long run, it's better to spend the money now than end up paying the contract in full if you want out.

Write a letter of cancellationOur contract paperwork specified a handwritten letter of cancellation. If you're uncertain what that should look like here's the template I used.

Mail the letter of cancellation via 24 hour delivery guaranteed certified mail.We took the letter to the USPS and payed to have it shipped overnight. This was $19.95. After leaving the post office, I entered the tracking number on the USPS website and began receiving notifications via email regarding the location of my letter (very helpful for peace of mind).

Call the company to verify cancellation.By Friday, I got an email saying my letter arrived. I called the company to verify I'd completed the cancellation procedure. I documented, documented, documented. Make sure you document each procedure you do.

After this experience I was angry and repeatedly apologizing to my husband for "getting us into this mess". I felt like a cliche of a helpless, naive woman. Fortunately, I was reassured lots of people have made similar mistakes. I am so thankful someone wiser than me helped me through. I hope this is a helpful resource for someone else. Know you're not alone.

In case you're curious... these steps insured prompt cancellation. The company called today (August 6, 2013) and tried to get me to change my mind.

Moral of the story is - if it's a door-to-door salesperson... keep the door shut!

UPDATE: 10:37 p.m. August 7, 2013 a representative from the above company knocked on our door to "uninstall". These people SCHEDULED an appointment to come tomorrow between the hours of 4 and 7. I am livid. Beyond rude to do any type of "customer service" after 9 p.m.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Glasses became a part of my life in 5th grade.
1996 1997
Fortunately, styles have changed and glasses no longer take up half a gal's face, ifyaknowwhati'msayin amiright?! *wink wink nudge nudge* Amen from the 90s girls!

Over the years I've had many different clothing styles and my glasses have always been the finishing touch.
There are SO MANY fashionable, trendy, and classic eyeglasses looks available though GlassesUSA.com!

I got to use their Virtual Mirror feature to try on all different styles. I used the camera on my laptop to upload a quick picture, centered the targets for where my eyes are, and voila! I was able to get a good idea of what I would look like with each style. I love this feature because as a near sighted person, I always have a hard time getting a good idea of what I might look like with different frames. With the Virtual Mirror I can still wear my glasses or contacts from the comfort of my living room while "trying on" glasses.

Go on- give it a try. It's so easy and convenient!

Bad news is: glasses can be expensive.
Good news is: you can buy eyeglasses online AND if you buy glasses through GlassesUSA they have stylish frames at discounted prices.

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